HELP! How busy is Spring Break?

Goldilocks07

A rockin' mom and her sweet princess
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
I was thinking about going April 11 (Saturday) to April 16/17th, staying on Disney Property. How busy is Spring Break? I've never been during this time. I'll be traveling with my 8 year old and possibly someone else as well. I know that WDW is always busy, but I mean, are we talking hour plus waits on all rides unless you FP it? Swarming unbearable crowds to walk through? Please advise, I feel like I'm about to jump into a bee's nest.

FWIW: We always do a pool day and DTD aka Disney Springs. We try and go twice a year to DW, but typically in 'off' months, though they hardly exist anymore. I'm only concerned with the parks and lines for rides. I am very much on top of the FP thing, but in between FPs, I we go on rides with short wait times. Do these exist during Spring Break? Or will we even have to wait on the Tiki Room?!!🙀:scared1::scared:
 
It's one of the busiest weeks of the year. I haven't been during that time, but have done Xmas to NYE week twice, which is the busiest week of the year. First thing I'd say is that if you want to go, then do it!!! I loved Xmas week. Most important above all is to have the right mindset. If you walk in there thinking you'll have a miserable time, etc...then you will. Have the right mindset and some patience, and you'll be fine. Yes, there are lines for everything, but if you know the FP+ system well, then you don't need to worry about the lines. Use FP+ and refresh and you'll get on plenty of thing without waiting in lines.
 


I was thinking about going April 11 (Saturday) to April 16/17th, staying on Disney Property. How busy is Spring Break? I've never been during this time.

I've often gone during spring break and it's definitely busy. Proper planning and lower expectations for doing a lot of rides will help. Also planning to eat at "off" times helps - do an early or very late lunch for example. Lines for food are long - book sit-downs if it fits in the budget. You're going after Easter which I think will be somewhat less busy than the week but still very very busy. Nice thing is that the weather is usually very pleasant and the Flower and Garden show is on - parks are usually open late too which I personally love - not sure you can/want to take advantage of that however.
 
I was thinking about going April 11 (Saturday) to April 16/17th, staying on Disney Property. How busy is Spring Break? I've never been during this time. I'll be traveling with my 8 year old and possibly someone else as well. I know that WDW is always busy, but I mean, are we talking hour plus waits on all rides unless you FP it? Swarming unbearable crowds to walk through? Please advise, I feel like I'm about to jump into a bee's nest.

FWIW: We always do a pool day and DTD aka Disney Springs. We try and go twice a year to DW, but typically in 'off' months, though they hardly exist anymore. I'm only concerned with the parks and lines for rides. I am very much on top of the FP thing, but in between FPs, I we go on rides with short wait times. Do these exist during Spring Break? Or will we even have to wait on the Tiki Room?!!🙀:scared1::scared:
I would say go but expect more crowds and doing less ( will not be as busy as Christmas New Year’s). But if you go in with a good attitude and know you might not do 10+ rides a day you will have a good time.

Now if this is a once in a life time trip and you could wait and go at a slower time I would go at a slower time
 


I've been routinely going to WDW for Easter week for years. It's very manageable. There are two ways to tackle this: like a commando or like an AP holder who isn't impressed.

Either way:
1. Make your dinner ADRs at the 180 day mark. Focus on restaurants near the park you're visiting or near your resort or at a report that has good transportation options.
2. Rope drop every park day.
3. Stack FPs for early each day. 9am, 10am, 11am. You'll have a better chance at a 4th or 5th that way.
4. Expect to do less hectic attractions after lunchtime. Think Tiki Room, Impressions de France, Wildlife Express Train and Rafiki's Planet Watch, Indiana Jones Stunt Show.... or go chill out at the hotel pool every day from 2 - 5.
 
Spring Break covers several weeks so its possible to pick a slightly slower time, but in general it is one of the busier times of the year.
I did it twice. As long as you expect for it to be very busy and plan that, its doable.
 
I'll take this opportunity to plug the "Official Spring Break 2020" date poll thread: https://www.disboards.com/threads/official-spring-break-2020-poll.3740812/

Not enough data to really tell us much of anything, but that week is currently #1 on the list.
Thank you for doing this and letting us know in this thread! I just voted, and we are going during my s-i-l (he teaches college) spring break the first week of March. Looks like its not tracking really high yet, but we are going expecting larger crowds than we have encountered even in the summer months we have been. We have been 6 times in June, once each in February, September, October, and November. The September trip we just made was incredibly low crowds and now has us spoiled!
 
I know that WDW is always busy, but I mean, are we talking hour plus waits on all rides unless you FP it?
You're going easter week which is the absolute most crowded of the spring break crowds. So yes. I regularly monitored wait times during easter week last year since I was considering going this year, and even voyage of the little mermaid had a 75 minute wait--that has always been walk on for me. Buzz lightyear, over two hours. I quickly decided you couldn't pay me to go at that time, much less get me to pay thousands of dollars to go.
 
We did this week last year - and it is packed (2nd to Christmas as most have said). My number one tip - and I did not give any in my party an option - is get the dining plan. I don't normally but with the added seatings and benefits of certain meals we booked a lot more of them and the $ was very justified (I think we saved about half - but we did order steak, beer, etc. which we wouldn't do normally either must say it is fun!)
1. Book dining seating for all your major events - characters you want to meet, Fantasmic seating, seating at Rose & Crown for Epcot fireworks, Rivers of Light, etc. that way you don't have to worry about not getting in or camping a long time
2. Plan your FP+ and make sure you have the must do list - you will not get as much done so make sure you know what is priority
3. Rope Drop - crowds are heaviest in the middle of the day. We do rope drop every day and then break mid-day. The lines are very manageable the first hour or two of the day.
4. Meals at Odd Times and Use Mobile Order - Eating lunch right at 11am when the restaurants open (if doing QS) is low lines and low stress so we eat light at breakfast and early for lunch. Mobile order is a god-send and you can use this all over. We have been waiting in line ordering our food and then just hit the Arrived button when you are ready and walk right around the lines! Dole Whips have this option!
 
It's pretty packed and since we don't get around Christmas, we go around mid November/Thanksgiving, to compare I'd say our spring break visits were more crowded. But you go when you can and if that's the only time, you will be fine.

Just expect the crowds and maybe plan in more breaks.
 
Hi All,
Thank you for your responses, I think I'm going to pass on that week. Like I said, I try and go 2 times a year (this year I skipped all together. ..waaaa!!) and though I'm on top of all my dining (I book at 180 days and plan down to what I'm eating) and FP+ and am aggressive with the PLANNING, I do not like to be aggressive when I get there. And though I've been on everything, I don't want to get there and not get the chance to go on a ride because of long lines.

So, I appreciate all the information- we will stick with March!
 
Spring Break/Easter week was our go to time to go for many years. We did not go this year. It’s gotten busier & busier.
 
You know spring break week is different for everyone, your week may not be the same as others. My little kids spring break was diffrent than our college kids and still different than the cousins the same age in a different state. You will know by the price of your room and or ticket check the crowd calander
 

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